CITY OF OAKWOOD
STATE OF OHIO
The Council of the City of Oakwood, State of Ohio, met in a work session and executive session at 6:30 p.m. in the conference room of the city of Oakwood, 30 Park Avenue, Oakwood, Ohio, 45419. Council then met in a regular session at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers of the city of Oakwood.
The meeting was streamed live from the Oakwood City website and telecast live on Cable Access Channel 6.
The Mayor, Mr. William Duncan, presided, and the Clerk of Council, Ms. Lori Stacel, recorded. Mayor Duncan opened the meeting by asking all present to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance.
The following members of Council were present:
Officers of the City present were the following:
The following in-person visitors registered:
Mrs. Jackson advised Council she had read the meeting minutes of the January 6, 2025 regular session and work session and the January 27, 2025 work session. Mrs. Jackson reported she found the minutes correct and complete. Therefore, it was moved by Mrs. Jackson and seconded by Mrs. Turben that the minutes of the sessions of Council aforementioned be approved as written and the reading thereof at this session be dispensed with. Upon a viva voce vote on the question of the motion, the same passed unanimously, and it was so ordered.
2025 State of the City Address – Mayor Duncan gave the following address:
“Members of City Council, honored guests, City staff and citizens of Oakwood:
Oakwood with a population of 9,572 continues to be “The Premier Residential Community in the Dayton and Miami Valley Region.” Why is Oakwood the region’s premier residential community? It is simple. It is our neighborhoods, our schools and library, city services, public safety, recreation and leisure; but most of all it is our citizens. If this sounds familiar to you it should. It was the opening paragraph in my first State of the City Address” in 2010. It was true then and it is still true today.
I am honored to begin my 22nd year serving you on Oakwood City Council and my 16th year as your Mayor. Vice Mayor Steve Byington begins his 18th year on City Council and his 16th year as our Vice Mayor. Joining us are council members Rob Stephens, beginning his 16th year on City Council, Leigh Turben, beginning her 5th year on City Council and Healy Jackson, beginning her 2nd year on City Council. The five of us are deeply honored for the opportunity to continue to serve the residents of Oakwood.
This Council, like those that preceded it, operates in a collegial style and everyone believes in doing the right thing for the citizens of Oakwood. We listen to one another, no one has hidden agendas, and we all believe in community service.
The highlight of the year in Oakwood in 2024 was the complete solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Citizens, old and young, donned the special eclipse glasses for the one hour event. The next complete solar eclipse in Oakwood will occur in 2099, so I will have no further reports on this matter.
City Council, proclaimed May, as “Codebreaker Month” to honor Oakwood resident Joseph Desch, a pioneering and world-leading American engineer and inventor for his invaluable contributions to the field of cryptography, significantly hastening the Allied